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Chapter 98: Aki-to Word

 

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Receiving room in the palace.

Martha sat down across from me, and the two of us looked out of the window.

We looked at the faint sight of the huge battleship that was being constructed. Its size made it visible just by looking.

「What will that be when it’s finished?」
「Hmm, in one word…I’d call it a moving fort.」
「Moving fort?」
「Yeah, it’ll move. It’ll have a source of power and a gun battery of second version Nitoka. A test firing showed that it had a range that could fire across the entirety of Ribek and hit a target on the other side.」
「Ohh, that’s amazing.」
「I’m grateful for the materials you brought.」
「Oh, that black toroi. That was pretty rare, even though we had a magic circle to guide us, it was pretty tough.」
「Yeah, thank you.」
「Well, it’s a give and take. You’re giving us sweets periodically after all.」

Martha said as if it had nothing to do with her.

As she said, I had sent sweets to Kazan periodically.

More accurately, I had used the food printer and food cubes to create it.
You place the cube in the printer, press the switch to choose the food you want…it was a wonderful magic item.

And so we were bound together in a labor contract.

「So, why did you come over today?」
「Eh?」
「It’s rare that you come yourself. If you have something trivial, you usually send Valeria right?」

Valeria was Martha’s retainer and close confidant.

If I had to say, she occupied the same position as Yuria.

「Yeah, I have a bit of a request. Something to ask as the head.」
「What is it? Tell me.」
「There’s a large river near Kazan. There was a heavy rain that fell upstream and the water level overflowed.」
「It overflowed? Is that ok?」
「It’s fine it’s fine…Kazan was just partially destroyed.」
「Ehhhhh?」
「Ah, that’s something that usually happens, so it’s fine.」

Martha said nonchalantly as if it was nothing.

「That river goes out of control at the littlest thing. We’re already used to it.」
「Is that really how it works?」
「And so began Kazan’s traditional water battle.」
「What?」

What the heck is that?

「The water overflows, we enter the river and attack it to see how much we can force the river back. It’s kind of like a tournament or a martial display?」
「No…I still don’t get it.」
「Hmm…a tournament might not be accurate enough……umm if I called it training…do you get it?」
「It’s not a matter of what you call it!」

Though I could strangely get a grasp on what she wanted to say now.

A vivid image of what this could look like surfaced in my mind. An image of angry warriors yelling and punching the water.

「Well, the winner of this event can ask one thing from me, the head. It’s a reward…an honor of sorts? It’s why they tried so hard.」
「I see.」

I could understand more and more.

I was thinking 「What the heck are you guys doing?」 as usual…but I was beginning to understand.

「And so…here’s the thing. This time a girl won…and she wanted to go on a date with you.」
「…………………huh?」
「A date.」

It should have been easy to understand…but somehow I couldn’t get my head around it.
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Ribek plaza, where people come and go.

This was the place where I was enthroned as king…though the platform was long gone.

「U-umm」

And there was the girl I was meant to meet. She called out to me.

She had glasses and a long skirt.

I could tell from how she looked, that it took a lot for her to call out to me.

「Wa, wata, watawata——-」
「You’re Larissa right?」
「Y-y-y-y-yes! I’m Larissa.」
「I heard what was going on from Martha.」
「I-I-I-I-I’m sorry to make you wait. The town was just so big…」
「No it’s fine, don’t worry. Shall we set off?」
「Yes.」

Larissa began walking side-by-side with me.

I glanced at her from time to time.

According to Martha’s description, she should be quite skilled and strong…but I just couldn’t see it.

In fact she looked more like a literature girl.

I didn’t really mind, but it made me wonder what the rules were for the rising water battle.

「Um! Thank you very much for today! I’ve always looked up to Akito-san! It’s like a dream that I can be walking around with you like this!」
「I see.」
「U-umm!」
「Hm?」
「That is…..the real Eternal Slave right?」

Larissa’s gaze moved to my hip.

I had the bejeweled True Eternal Slave on my hip.

「Yeah, it’s real.」
「Ahh, as I thought……」

Larissa seemed entranced.

It felt like the eyes a person who loved idols would have towards that idol’s costume.

「It’s on your mind?」
「Yes! Before I used a different weapon, but once I saw Akito-sama’s Eternal Slave I switched to using the longsword.」
「Ohh, what did you use before then?」
「An iron ball.」
「Eh?」
「An iron ball around this big, with spikes, and a chain…I used to swing it around.」

Larissa spread her hands in a demonstration.

「Wasn’t that…..heavy?」
「Yes! But once I got it spinning around I could use it normally.」

No….normally you wouldn’t be able to use it.

But she’d increase the damage by using centrifugal force….that’s brutal.

Seeing a girl with such slender arms swing that around would be quite the sight.

But it doesn’t seem like she’s lying.

A literature girl that looked so frail…it made me realize once more that the Kazan people were all warrior-like.

「So now your weapon is a sword? You didn’t bring it with?」
「Ah, in that case it is here!」

Larissa hiked up her skirt and I saw that her sword was hidden under it and attached to her leg.

Her white thighs were a bit dazzling.

「——Kyaa」

Larissa let out a small cry and dropped her skirt down.

I cleared my throat looking to change the subject.

「Ok then, do you have anywhere you’d want to go? Just walking around can’t be very interesting.」
「I-I’ll leave that to you. Akito-san can make the decision.」
「Is that ok? I don’t think that’ll be much of a reward.」
「No!」

She clenched her fists and stressed her words.

「Walking around with Akito-san like this is enough to make me happy.」
「I see.」

It seems like she’s serious…but even so that doesn’t mean I should do nothing to make her happy. Just walking around would sully my good name as a man.

She wasn’t a slave…but I still wanted to see her smile anyways.

I thought for a bit, before the bar 「Thankful Servant」 popped into my head as we passed by it.

At the perfect moment Inessa stepped out.

She eyed us both.

「Oh, Your Majesty is out on a date?」
「Yeah. How is it? The shop I mean.」
「It’s going great thanks to you. Once they know our signboard was made by you, more customers come. Now there——-」

Inessa pointed at a seat.

「——-is the seat you can see the signboard best….it’s been reserved for a few months in advance.」
「What the heck?」

They’re making too big of a deal about it.

「We can’t be more thankful to Your Majesty. Thank you very much. If you have time, come drink again.」
「Ok. I’ll impose on you once again.」

We split with Inessa and continued walking.

Larissa was fidgeting next to me.

「Umm Akito-san….that lady said that the signboard was drawn by the King…」
「Yeah, it ended up that way.」

I looked at Larissa with a questioning look.

「……that’s so nice…」
「What…you want a signboard?」
「Y-yeah. A signboard is…….well if it was Akito-san’s then I would still want it…but more than that——-」

She naturally rolled up her skirt and pulled out her sword.

This time I could clearly see her panties…but she ignored that and smiled.

「I’d like Akito-san’s signature on this instead.」
「I gotcha.」

A signature huh? She was acting more and more like an idol fan.

I walked while stroking my chin and thinking.

I didn’t have much of an idea of what to do on this sudden date…but I thought of something.

「Ok then, let’s have a fight.」
「Eh?」
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In the outskirts of Ribek, I was facing Larissa.

We faced each other with weapons drawn.

Larissa held a slender long sword and I held True Eternal Slave.

「Ok then, come at me!」
「Ok!」

Larissa nodded and came at me without hesitation.

「mu」

In an instant she crossed the distance with a sharp slash that cut the air.

Our swords crossed and sparks flashed from the clash.

Her skinny arms erupted with unbelievable power.

My hands were a bit numb.

「Iyaaaaaa!」

Larissa had taken the initiative and used rotational force to continually attack.

And as I was about to receive her sword again——she suddenly disappeared from in front of my eyes.

「side——no…back」

I turned and repelled the slash in front of my eyes.

She increased her rotation and began attacking like a storm.

It was heavy…….fast……….and strong.

I dodged one of the blows and it hit the ground causing a fairly large crater.

As expected of those war people…….I thought.

「Akito-san’s signature Akito-san’s signature Akito-san’s signature Akito-san’s signature Akito-san’s signature Akito-san’s signature——-」

When I heard what she was muttering and murmuring I felt it a bit scary.

But I was also a bit flattered.

This was definitely her full force, holding nothing back.

It made me feel like this was the force of her admiration.

「I’ll definitely——get it」

It made me feel that I had to respond with my full power.
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Larissa was on her backside on the ground with True Eternal Slave pointing at her.

「That’s the end.」
「——-……..yes.」

She said biting her lower lip as if she had to squeeze out that one word…and nodded.

Even though she lost she remained stout-hearted….it was against expectations.

「…..Ueeeeehhhhhhh」

The next moment Larissa began crying.

She raised a loud voice and sobbed loudly.

「O-oi. Don’t cry.」

This was also a bit out of my expectations.

「but…but….Akito-san’s……」
「Oh stop crying. I hate crying the most.」

Larissa wasn’t a slave…but despite that I still hated it.

I wanted smiles.

「*sniff sniff*………」

As I asked, Larissa stopped crying, but it looked like she was trying her best to hold it in.

She was sad, but she was forcefully holding in the tears.

That face…….I hated it.

「Just wait a bit.」

I took out my DORECA.

I chose an iron sword from the menu and payed ten times the magic to make it.

Then utilizing 「Disassembly」 on my finger I inscribed letters on the grip.

I used magic to draw a design I was satisfied with.

Then I held it out to Larissa.

「Here. I’m giving this to you.」
「Eh?」
「It’s autographed.」
「But….I couldn’t beat you Akito-san…」
「Yeah…so it’s only half.」
「Half?」
「You probably can’t read it…but this is just the Aki from 「Akito」. There would usually be more to it.」

「Half…….」
「I’ll give this to you. You can come challenge me again…and if you beat me I will finish it with 「to」.」

Larissa took the sword and hugged it preciously.

「Thank you very much! I’ll treasure it forever!」

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